Supporting device



Sept. 28, 1965 M. J. MADEY SUPPORTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet l t 5. D INVENTOR;

MARION J. MADEY BY/YQZ Filed Feb. 19, 1962 ATT 'YS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19, 1962 INVENTOR: MARION J. MADEY BY ATT'YS p 8, 1965 M. J. MADEY 3,208,170

SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 19, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

MARION J. MADEY ATT'YS p 1965 M. J. MADEY 3,208,170

SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 19, 1962 4 Sheets-g 4 w I l UHWH P INVENTQ N J. MADEY BY W ATT 'Ys United States Patent 3,208,170 SUPPORTING DEVICE Marion J. Marley, Park Ridge, lll., assiguor to Universal Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 174,150 2 Claims. (Cl. 40-10) This invention relates to a supporting device and more particularly to a display advertising supporting device and a method for the manufacture thereof.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved supporting device which is especially suitable for supporting display advertising material, including placards, articles, letters, price cards, and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which is versatile and can be employed in many different ways for display advertising purposes.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which is readily manufactured by a simple extrusion process.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view with some parts broken away illustrating a device which represents the best mode contemplated for the practice of the invention and various units adapted to be connected or assembled with said device, especially for advertising purposes;

FIGURES 2 to 7 are cross sectional views showing the supporting device of FIGURE 1 in assembled relationship with diflerent components;

FIGURES 8 to are perspective views illustrating different types of assemblies that can be made with the supporting device and components shown in FIGURE 1.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the supporting device of the invention consists of a member having an X-shaped cross section with at least two flanges on legs of the X adapted to hold another object between them. The supporting member is preferably elongated and is adapted either to be suspended or to be mounted on another support.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the elongated supporting device of X-shaped cross section has upper, lower and side flanges on the legs of the X extending toward one another to form four pairs of flanges and each pair is adapted to hold an object. The flanges on the lower ends of the legs of the X extend inwardly and upwardly toward one another. The flanges on the upper ends of the legs of the X extend inwardly and downwardly toward one another. The flanges on the sides of the legs of the X extend substantially vertically.

The lower pair and the upper pair of flanges are each adapted to hold a T-shaped member attached to a shelf with the vertical leg of the T in the space between the flanges and the cross member of the T extending transversely of said space. The lower pair of flanges is also adapted to hold a placard having one end bent to form an acute angle and suspended in the space between the inner sides of the flanges.

The vertically disposed flanges on the sides of the X are adapted to retain signs, placards or letters and can also be used to support specially constructed sloping shelves as hereinafter described.

The supporting device is so contsructed that placards having a slot therein can be inserted into the ends of the supporting member as hereinafter described.

Referring to FIGURE 1 it will be seen that the supporting device generally shown at 1 is an X-shaped cross section including a pair of substantially parallel spaced allochiral bars 1A and 1B. The bar 1A includes upper and lower substantially straight portions 1A1 and 1A2, while the bar 1B includes upper and lower substantially straight portions 1131 and IE2. The included angles between the straight portions lAl-IAZ and lBl-IBZ of the embodiment illustrated are slightly less than while the included angles between the straight portions lAl-IBI and 1A2-1B2 are less than 30. The section includes a pair of inwardly and upwardly extending flanges or projections 2 and 3 running lengthwise at the bottom of the supporting device 1 and a pair of in war-dly and downwardly extending flanges or projections 4 and 5 running lengthwise at the top of the supporting device 1. The inwardly extending projections may take any desired form. The inner edges of the flanges 2 and 3 define a space or slot 6 which runs lengthwise and the inner edges of the flanges 4 and 5 define a space or slot 7 which runs lengthwise. The inwardly extending projections at the upper straight portions coact therewith to define a socket to receive fixtures, and similarly the inwardly extending projections at the lower ends of the straight portions define therewith a socket to receive fixtures. The side flanges or lips 8 and 9 extend vertically and define spaces 10 and 11 which run lengthwise. Similarly, on the opposite side of the supporting device the vertical side flanges or lips 12 and 13 define spaces 14 and 15, respectively.

The supporting device is preferably formed by extruding a metal, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and in the device shown, longitudinal grooves 16 are formed during the extrusion but these are not essential for the practice of the invention.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the supporting device 1 is adapted to be hung from a member 17 supported by a rope or cable 18. The member 17 consists of a vertical plate portion 19 and a triangular flange portion 20 which has flanges 21 and 22 extending outwardly on opposite sides thereof. The vertical plate portion 19 is adapted to be inserted from the end of the supporting device 1 into the space 7 and will slide along said space to any desired position. The flanges 21 and 22 extend beneath the flanges 4 and 5 and engage the flanges 4 and 5 thereby supporting the supporting device 1. Alternatively, the supporting device 1 can be mounted from the underside by means of a supporting member, such as is shown at 23, which consists of a rod 24 on the end of which is mounted a member 25 having a vertical portion 26 connected at the lower end to flanges 27 and 28 and at the upper end to flanges 29 and St). The space 6 between the flanges 2 and 3 at the lower end of the supporting device 1 is wide enough to accommodate the vertical portion 26 of the supporting member 25 so that the supporting device 1 can be mounted on the supporting mem ber 25 in a slidable relationship. When so mounted, the sides of the flanges 2 and 3 rest on the flanges 27 and 28 and the flanges 29 and 30 extend above the flanges 2 and 3 thereby preventing disengagement.

In the structure shown in FIGURE 1 a preferred way of using the elongated supporting device 1 is. to assemble it with a shelf 31 or a shelf 32. These shelves are identical and each has a centrally located T-shaped member 33 in which the leg 34 of the T is secured to the body of the shelf at 35. The shelf 32 is readily mounted on the supporting member by inserting the vertical leg 34 of the T-shaped member 33 into the space 6 so that the cross member 36 of the T-shaped member 33 is above the flanges 2 and 3. The position of the shelf can be adjusted by sliding it along the space 6. In a similar manner the shelf 31 can be mounted on the top of the supporting device with the inverted T-shaped member 37 engaging the space 7 and the bottom of the shelf engaging the horizontal edges 38 and 39 of the supporting device 1. The shelves 31 and 32 are also provided with angle bars 40, 41, 42 and 43. These are generally L- shaped and preferably have the horizontal leg of the L turned outwardly in the manner shown in FIGURE 1. The vertical legs of the L are secured by welding or other means to the shelf. These shelves, therefore, can also be used as carriers for letters or signs and will slide in the side grooves 10 and 11 or 14 and 15 as shown in FIGURE 7. When the components 31 and 32 are used in this manner they are not actually shelves but rather carriers for various types of advertising displays, including letters, signs, price lists, and the like.

In FIGURE 1 the member 44- is adapted to be inserted into .the grooves .10 and 11 of the supporting device 1 with the flange 45 being inserted in the space 10 and held in place by the flange 8, and the flange 4 6 being inserted int-o the space 11 and held in place by the flange 9.

The spaces 10 and Ill afiorded by the vertical flanges 8 and 9 and the spaces 14 and 15 afl-orded by the vertical flanges 12 and 13 are also adapted to receive letters or cards, such as card 47. If such letters or cards are placed on a rigid member made of metal or similar material they are inserted into the spaces 10 and 11, or '14 and 15 from the end of the supporting device 1. On the other hand, if they are flexible they can be inserted from the dotted line position 48 merely by bending the ends toward one another until they will pass beneath the flanges 8 and 9 (or the flanges 12 and 13) after which they are allowed to spring into place.

Another alternative which is made possible by the practice of the invention is the use of a vertically disposed display card 49 which contains a slot 50 adapted to fit over the point of intersection 511 of the legs of the X-frame in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 9. As shown in FIGURE 2 the point of intersection 51 of the legs of the X-frame is flattened at 52 and 53, thus making it possible for the sides of the slot 50 to engage the flattened areas 52 and 53. The member 49 is also held in place due to the fact that it is inserted on the upper side in the space 7 and on the lower side in the space 6 and is held by the flanges 4 and on the one hand, and the flanges 2 and 3, on the other, against lateral displacement.

Another type of arrangement involves the use of a simple rectangular member 54- made of cardboard or other suitable material which can be inserted into the space 7 on the upper side of the supporting device so that it rests on the area 52 in the manner shown in FIGURE 4 and is held between the flanges 4 and 5.

Another arrangement involves the use of a card or placard 55 which has its upper end 56 bent at an acute angle. The card 55 is inserted into the space 6 between the flanges 2 and 3 as shown in FIGURE 7 and this makes possible a display arrangement such as is illustrated in FIGURES 1-0, 11, 12 and 15.

Another possibility for display advertising is provided by the sloping or slanting shelf arrangement generally indicated at 57. This consists of a vertical member 58 which may vbe made out of cardboard, metal or other suitable material to which is attached a horizontal member 59 made out of a similar material and which is adapted to support a sloping shelf 60. The shelf 60 is connected at one end 61 by means of adhesive or other similar means to the vertical member 58. It is also supported by and preferably adhesively united to the outer end of the horizontal member 59. An upwardly extended flange 62 is provided to retain articles or signs on the shelf. The member 58 is inserted into the spaces and 11 (or 1 4 and or both as shown in FIGURE 3 and is held in place by the flanges 8, 9, 12 and 13.

Another arrangement for which the invention is adapted is the use of a member 63 which is simply inserted in the spaces 10 and 11m 12 and 13 on one or both sides of the supporting device 1 in the manner shown in FIG- URE 6. The upper and the lower ends of the member \63 in each case are held in place by the flanges 10 and W1 and12 and 13, respectively.

Two of the supporting devices 1 can be connected together by a simple connector such as is illustrated at 64. The manner of assembly is more clearly shown in FIG- URE 4. The connector 64 has an upwardly extending member 65 provided with a flanged head and a lower downwardly extending member 67 provided with a head 68. The member 64 is inserted into the space 6 in the lower part of the supporting device 1 so that the flanged head 6'6 is supported :by the sides of the flanges 2 and 3. Another supporting device similar to the supporting device 1 is then mounted on the underside of the member 64 and is held by flanges 4 and 5 and by the flanged head 68.

-In the arrangement shown in FIGURE 4 the lower supporting unit 1 is mounted on a supporting member 69 having a generally conical upper surface 70 and a vertically extending member 711 with a flanged head 7 2. The member 7 1 is adapted to slide in the space 6 of the supporting device 1 with the flanges 2 and 3 engaging the conical surface 70. It will be seen that with this arrangement it is possible to turn the upper supporting device at right angles to the lower supporting device as illustrated in FIGURE 12 and thereby provide display advertising visible from different directions.

In the practice of the invention it is also possible to provide hook-shaped members as shown at 73 in FIG- URE 5 which are provided with flanged heads 74 and are adapted to be inserted into the space 6' of the supporting device 1 where they are held in place by the flanges 2 land 3. In this way it is possible to provide an advertismg display such as is shown in FIGURE 13 where various articles are supported from hook members 73. It will be seen that in FIGURES 3 and 6 the supportmg device 1 is supported from its lower end in the same way that the lower supporting device 1 is supported in FIGURE 4. In FIGURES 2 and 7 the supporting device 1 is supported from its upper end by a card or cable 75 to which is attached a member 7 6 having a flanged head 77 which is generally similar to the member 17 described in FIGURE 1.

As shown by FIGURES 8 and 15 many different arrangements of advertising displays are possible. Thus, in FIGURE 8 two advertising placards 55 are supported trom the supporting device 1 and four members 44 cartrying letters are supported from the side flanges of the supporting device 1.

In FIGURE 9 the placards 55 are replaced by end placards 49 and an upper placard 54 is inserted in the top of the supporting device 1.

i In FIGURE 10 another modification of FIGURE 8 1s illustrated in which the supporting device 1 is suspended.

EIGURE 1 1 illustrates a further modification of FIG- URE 8 in which shelves 32 are mounted on the supportmg device 1 and articles to be advertised are placed on the shelves. In this case, the supporting device 1 is mounted on two rods 69, the mounting arrangement being similar to that described with respect to FIGURE 4.

In FIGURE 12, as previously mentioned, a plurality of supporting devices 1 is used. The advertising displays correspond generally to the member 54 and the assembly is similar to that described with respect to FIGURE 1 except in some cases both the upper and the lower parts of the member 54 are held by the supporting devices 1.

In FIGURE 14 the supporting device 1 is employed to hold a card or placard 54- and a shelf 57 in the manner previously explained.

In FIGURE 15 the supporting device 1 is used to hold a pair of placards 5'5 and a shelf 31. The latter in turn supports an advertising display consisting of various articles.

It will be seen that many different variations and combinations are possible. Some of the component parts of the various assemblies are novel per se. For example, shelves of the type illustrated by the numerals 31 and 32 in FIGURE 1 are believed to be novel per se and are capable of being used in several different ways. These shelves are characterized by having on one side a generally T-shaped slide rail, the lower end of the vertical leg of the T being fastened to said side of the shelf, the vertical leg of the T being adapted to slide in a space between either the upper or the lower pair of flanges of the X-shaped member, and the cross member of the T being adapted to engage inner sides of said flanges. In addition, a pair of L-shaped members are secured to the same side of the shelf as the T-shaped member and are attached thereto at the upper ends of the vertical legs of L. These L-shaped members are disposed on opposite sides of the T-member and the horizontal legs of the L are turned outwardly. The outwardly turned ends are adapted to be retained by opposing vertical side flanges of the X-shaped supporting device. Both the T-shaped member and the L-shaped members act as guide rails and supporting members. As shown in FIGURE 6, the cross member 36 of the T-shaped member 33 can be angular to conform with the slope of the flanges 4 and 5.

The bar or supporting device 1 can also be formed from a suitable rigid plastic material in any suitable manner, for example, by extrusion or by molding.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

"1. A display advertising device comprising, an clon gated horizontally extending body, said body in cross section throughout its length including a pair of upright substantially parallel spaced a'lloch-iral bars intermediate- -ly connected by a web portion, each bar having an upper substantially straight portion and a lower substantially straight portion slightly angularly positioned relative to the upper portion, the included angles between said straight portions of each bar being slightly less than 180 and the included angles between the upper straight portions and the lower straight portions being less than 30, firs-t inwardly extending projections at the inner sides and upper ends of said bars defining therewith a socket adapted to receive fixtures at the upper end of the body, the terminal ends of said first projections being spaced close together but defining a narrow slot therebetween, second inwardly extending projections at the inner sides and lower ends of said bars defining therewith a socket adapted to receive fixtures at the lower end of the body, the terminal ends of said second projections being spaced close together but defining a narrow slot therebetween, and lips extending toward each other at the outer sides and upper and lower ends of said bars and coacting therewith in defining trackways adapted to receive display fixtures at the opposite sides of the body.

A display advertising device comprising, an elongated horizontally extending body, said body in cross section throughout its length including a pair of upright substantially parallel spaced allochirael bars intermediately connected by a web portion, each bar having an upper substantially straight portion and a lower substantially straight portion slightly angularly positioned relative to the upper portion, the included angles between said straight portions of each bar being equal and the included angles between the upper portions and the lower portions of the bars being equal, said included angles between straight portions of each bar being slightly less than 1 and said other included angles being less than 30, first inwardly and downwardly extending flanges at the inner sides and upper ends of said bars defining therewith a socket adapted to receive fixtures at the upper end of the body, the terminal ends of said first flanges being space-d close together .but defining a narrow slot therebetween, second inwardly and upwardly extending flanges at the inner sides and lower ends of said bars defining therewith a socket adapted to receive fixtures at the lower end of the body, the terminal ends of said second flanges being spaced close together but defining .a narrow slot therebetween, and lips extending toward each other at the outer sides and upper and lower ends of said bars and coacting therewith in defining trackways adapted to receive display fixtures at the opposite sides of the body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,271,804- 7/18 Thunall.

1,428,723 9/22 Urness 40-14O 2,745,201 5/56 Giuseppe 40-440 2,788,902 4/57 Nowicki 108152 X 3,015,177 1/62 Hembd 4010 3,021,186 2/62 Immerman 4023 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,131,854 6/ 62 Germany.

366,486 2/32 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNADL, Primary Examiner. EDWARD V. BENHAM, Examiner. 

1. A DISPLAY ADVERTISING DEVICE COMPRISING, AN ELONGATED HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING BODY, SAID BODY IN CROSS SECTION THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH INCLUDING A PAIR OF UPRIGHT SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL SPACED ALLOCHIRAL BARS INTERMEDIATELY CONNECTED BY A WEB PORTION, EACH BAR HAVING AN UPPER SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT PORTION AND A LOWER SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT PORTION SLIGHTLY ANGULARLY POSITIONED RELATIVE TO THE UPPER PORTION, THE INCLUDED ANGLES BETWEEN SAID STRAIGHT PORTIONS OF EACH BAR BEING SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 180* AND THE INCLUDED ANGLES BETWEEN THE UPPER STRAIGHT PORTIONS AND THE LOWER STRAIGHT PORTIONS BEING LESS THAN 30* FIRST INWARDLY EXTENDING PROJECTIONS AT THE INNER SIDES AND UPPER ENDS OF SAID BARS DEFINING THEREWITH A SOCKET ADAPTED TO RECEIVE FIXTURES AT THE UPPER END OF THE BODY, THE TERMINAL ENDS OF SAID FIRST PROJECTIONS BEING SPACED CLOSE TOGETHER BUT DEFINING A NARROW SLOT THEREBETWEEN, SECOND INWARDLY EXTENDING PROJECTIONS AT THE INNER SIDES AND LOWER ENDS OF SAID BARS DEFINING THEREWITH A SOCKET ADAPTED TO RECEIVE FIXTURES AT THE LOWER END OF THE BODY, THE TERMINAL ENDS OF SAID SECOND PROJECTIONS BEING SPACED CLOSE TOGETHER BUT DEFINING A NARROW SLOT THEREBETWEEN, AND LIPS EXTENDING TOWARD EACH OTHER AT THE OUTER SIDES AND UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF SAID BARS AND COACTING THEREWITH IN DEFINING TRACKWAYS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE DISPLAY FIXTURES AT THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BODY. 